Project Summary The Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) Phase I, Pathogen-Host Interactions at Mississippi State University (MSU) successfully incorporated the MSU Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology (IGBB) as part of a systems biology Core B. Core B services provide access to expertise, instrumentation, biocomputing and bioinformatics necessary for generating and analyzing high throughput omics data. The goals of the Omics and Bioinformatics Core B in this COBRE Phase II application are to 1) build on the technical and intellectual infrastructure gains made in COBRE Phase I, and 2) continue to provide service and expertise in an effective and responsive manner to meet the critical needs of COBRE Phase II Lead Investigators. To expand omics capabilities at MSU to meet COBRE Phase II investigator needs in metabolomics, we propose to integrate the existing instrumentation and resources at MSU from different departments and institutes (located physically within a mile) into a ?virtual? Omics and Bioinformatics Core (Core B). Therefore, the Objective of Core B is to continue integrating and building on existing equipment and personnel into the COBRE atmosphere not only to make access more efficient for COBRE investigators but also to stimulate biomedical research at MSU in general. This will be accomplished through three specific aims: 1. Provide an administrative mechanism to ensure COBRE investigators access to instrumentation, and expertise for conducting omics research, such as proteomics, RNA-Seq and metabolomics as well as biocomputing and bioinformatics. 2. Enhance existing infrastructure, stability, and sustainability of omics technologies required for COBRE projects. 3. Provide technologies and analytical support required by Phase II COBRE investigators. Omics and Bioinformatics Core B will make significant contribution towards COBRE sustainability as it provides services in genome scale technologies that are at the forefront of the biomedical research enterprise. COBRE Phase II Core B will build on the success in of Phase I and enable COBRE Investigators to develop the thematic multidisciplinary research focus into a functioning, productive biomedical research center.